Ashleigh Gray, 25, of Saratoga Springs has started a charitable movement through Facebook that enables people to anonymously send food, supplies or other gifts to those in need this holiday season.
(JENNIFER COLLET/photos@saratogian.com)

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- With the economy still on the ropes, the holidays could be a bitter reminder to some local families of their financial hardships.

In Saratoga, one woman has found a way to brighten her community and inspire others to do the same.

Ashleigh Gray, 25, has started a charitable movement to help those less fortunate enjoy the Christmas season by setting them up on a "Blind Date with Christmas Kindness."

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"These days, everyone knows of at least one person struggling to make ends meet," Gray said, "and I have always wanted to help those people."

The young philanthropist works during the day as an insurance saleswoman at Twin Bridges Insurance Agency in Albany.

"I like saving people money," Gray said. "It makes me happy. I always think about how much my parents were struggling when I was younger and how awesome it would have been to save them money."

On Nov. 18, Gray embarked on a new altruistic endeavor, creating the Facebook page "Blind Date with Christmas Kindness" and setting up her first "date." The concept of the date, Gray said, is simple: think of someone in need and leave them an anonymous gift they'll appreciate, no strings attached. The only hope is that they pay it forward.

"I want this to have touched at least 100 people by New Year's Day," she said.

Since the idea's inception, the message has spread and people are starting to participate, not only in Saratoga but in surrounding cities and even across the country.

"I heard about this project through Facebook," said Catherine Fletcher of Atascocita, Texas. "I am hoping to get more people in my area on board. I have a lot of friends down here that love to help others, and I don't think this should be a problem at all."

In Malta, Matthew Smith, a 28-year-old multimedia developer and software engineer, has started organizing fundraisers at work to help as many people as possible.

"It's a humble and positive way to make a real difference that doesn't even require a lot of money," he said.

Gift packages so far have included household and school supplies, groceries, new clothing, games and other gifts sent anonymously based on the needs of the families.

Joni Gray, Ashleigh's mother, said it's not just financial difficulties that make people need kindness this time of year.

"Every person I sent Christmas kindness to matters to me," she said. "The most recent ones I sent were not to people suffering financially, just people that are kind of alone ... not totally, but those that do not have the amazing support system that I am so fortunate to have."

Ashleigh Gray said the support system she grew up with motivated her to work on this project.

"A lot of what makes me want to do this comes from how I was raised," she said. "I am a spitting image of them. We ourselves were struggling to make ends meet, but my mom still stopped every day and gave the homeless man on the corner whatever spare money she had."

With about three weeks to go before the New Year's deadline, Joni Gray has already sent out five gifts. Ashleigh has sent four and is working on a few more.

Her twin sister, McKenzie, has sent gifts, and countless others are being sent out by friends and members of the Saratoga and social media communities who have decided to take part.

To participate, search on Facebook for the "Blind Date with Christmas Kindness" page and post stories and photos of gifts directly on the page.

There is also a printable label on the page that participants can affix to their anonymous packages so the recipients will know they've been set up on a "Blind Date with Christmas Kindness."